Targets and methods for target preparation from Ga—Ni alloys have been used for production of 68Ge using a proton beam accelerator (C. Loch et al., “A New Preparation of Germanium-68”, Int. J. Appl. Radiat. Isot., 33, 261-270 (1982); N. R. Stevenson et al., A New Production Method for Germanium-68, Synthesis and Application of Isotopically Labelled Compounds, Ed. J. Allen, John Willey & Sons, 1995, p. 119-223; A. A. Razbach et al., “Production of Germanium-68 in Russia”, Proc. 6th Workshop on Targetry and Target Chemistry, Vancouver, Canada, 1995, p. 5114)). The Ga—Ni alloys were electrodeposited onto copper backing or pressed onto a copper block heated after or during pressing. Tin-117m cannot be produced from such target material.
A target was prepared from thick pure antimony monolith in a target shell to provide 117mSn (B. L. Zhuikov et al., Process and targets for production of no-carrier added radiotin, Russian patent No 2313838 (published Dec. 27, 2007)). However, pure Sb has a low heat conductivity and thermal stability. This can result in melting and sublimation of the pure Sb during exposure to intensive proton beams and can result in destruction of the target shell.
Additional targets and methods for their preparation are thus desirable.